Vinyl lined swimming pools generally must have the liner replaced periodically due to normal wear or abuse. This requires the removal of various anchoring devices and pool accessories attached to the vinyl lined metal walls of the swimming pool. After a new liner has been installed, frequently these same anchoring devices and pool accessories are then reattached in the same location. Generally a concrete deck is placed around the perimeter of the pool, preventing easy access to the back side of the swimming pool wall and to nuts or other devices at the back side which hold the anchoring device against the opposite exposed front side of the wall. Consequently, the reinstallation of the anchoring device to the outside of the wall is very difficult and time consuming, particularly if some of the concrete decking has to be removed.
Both Engelhart U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,732 and Kaufman U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,301 disclose devices intended to avoid such problems associated with replacing the vinyl liner.
The Engelhart '732 device includes an externally and internally threaded sleeve having a large flange at one end that abuts against the exposed face of the pool wall. The sleeve extends through and is fixedly attached to the pool wall so that it remains in place during replacement of the liner. After the replacement of the liner, a shank of the anchor goes through the pool liner and is received by the internal threads of the sleeve.
The Kaufman '301 patent discloses an eyelet arrangement having a stem member which includes a large externally threaded portion and a smaller externally threaded portion. The smaller external portion is received through a hole in the pool wall and is held securely to the wall. The large portion of the stem extends into the swimming pool and through a hole in the liner. A gasket is placed over the enlarged portion and has a washer placed over it against the vinyl liner and compressed by an eye having an internally threaded socket which is threaded onto the enlarged portion of the stem and held in secured attachment.
Both prior art devices require specially manufactured and machined parts. Both devices provide limited support and strength through a single hole in the swimming pool wall. Additionally, if the anchor eyelet is rotated, the eyelet may become unintentionally unthreaded. It is even possible, as by rotation of the rope or a child playing with the eyelet, that the threaded stem or threaded shank could become unthreaded from the nut at the back side of the pool wall. It is also difficult to maintain a preselected final orientation of the eyelet. Because only a single fastener is used through the swimming pool wall, there is some limitation on the clamping and pulling forces that can be achieved and the clamping and pulling forces are concentrated about the single hole through the wall.
Although multiple fastener anchor plates have been used commercially they have disadvantages. The multiple fastener base plate is fastened on the back or outside of the wall and is generally inaccessible after the pool installation is complete. An eyelet anchor is aligned with and fastened to the base by separate screws on the inside of the wall. This initial installation is difficult because of the need to properly align the eyelet anchor with the base plate through holes in the pool wall. When the liner needs to be replaced, it may be difficult to properly locate holes for mounting of the eyelet anchor on the inside of the pool wall or punching holes in the vinyl liner that are aligned with the base plate on the backside of the wall. Adding to the difficulty is the possibility that the base plate is no longer aligned with the holes in the pool wall. Thus, there is still a need for an anchoring device which firmly and effectively attaches to a swimming pool wall, cannot be removed inadvertently and can be manufactured economically.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved anchoring device for vinyl lined swimming pools that provides an effective safety rope anchor; that is stable and remains fixed in place; that is easy to install with simple tools; and that can be manufactured easily and economically.
It is a principal feature of this invention to employ more than one support extending through and fixed to the swimming pool wall so that the rope anchor is firmly secured to the swimming pool wall and can not be removed inadvertently.
A rope anchor device in accordance with the present invention includes a flat base plate having at least two integral stems rearwardly projecting from said plate, a first fastener for each stem, a rope anchor eyelet and second fastener means for securing the anchor to the base. The first fastener captures each stem at the outside of the swimming pool wall, and holds the plate against the inside of the swimming pool wall. An important advantage of this invention is that it provides a stable and strong support against the swimming pool wall.
The second fastener means in the preferred embodiment of the invention, in accordance with a second important aspect thereof, includes at least two bores through the base plate and extending through the center of each stem and a pair of screws which are receivable by the anchor and engageable with the bores. This second fastener means prevents any inadvertent loosening or removal of the anchor from the base and swimming pool wall. This second fastener means also provides stable and strong support to the base.
Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent in the following description and claims in which the invention is described together with the details to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the invention all in connection with the bast mode presently contemplated for the invention.